Your Daily Dose of Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/צוהריים-#.m4a” /]צוֹהֳרַיִים The Hebrew word for noon is צוהריים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/צוהריים-#.m4a” /] (according to the pre-2017 spelling, צהריים). While אחר הצוהריים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/צוהריים-#.m4a” /] or אחרי הצוהריים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/צוהריים-#.m4a” /] means afternoon (literally, after the noon), people often abbreviate and just use צוהריים to refer to the first few hours after 12pm. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/צוהריים-#.m4a” /]הוא אמר שהוא יקפוץ לבקר…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/אל-תתבייש-#.m4a” /]אַל תִּתְבַּיֵּישׁ בושה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/אל-תתבייש-#.m4a” /] is the Hebrew word for shame, of the root ב.ו.ש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/אל-תתבייש-#.m4a” /]. So it makes sense that the התפעל verb להתבייש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/אל-תתבייש-#.m4a” /] means to be embarrassed or to be shy. This word finds expression most commonly in the Israeli invitation of hospitality: אל תתבייש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/אל-תתבייש-#.m4a” /] – don’t be…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/עלי-אדמות-1-3.m4a” /]עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹת While the Hebrew word ארץ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/עלי-אדמות-2-3.m4a” /] – probably related to the English earth – means country, land and, well earth, the word אדמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/עלי-אדמות-3-3.m4a” /] means ground. אדמה is the more humble, (ironically) down-to-earth word, of the same root as אדם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/עלי-אדמות-4-3.m4a” /] – Adam or man, he who comes from the ground…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/נפש-#.m4a” /]נֶפֶשׁ, רוּחַ, נְשָׁמָה Jewish mystical tradition has three words for that non-physical side of man: נפש[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/נפש-#.m4a” /] – soul, רוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/נפש-#.m4a” /] – literally, wind and נשמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/נפש-#.m4a” /] – spirit (Kabbalah expands on these terms). Today, Israelis tend to use נשמה to refer to someone’s divine spirit: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/נפש-#.m4a” /]יש לו נשמה טובה. He has…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a” /]לְהִתְעָרֵב The Hebrew root ע.ר.ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a” /] means mixing, so that לערבב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a” /] – a פיעל use of the root, doubling the ב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a” /] at the end – is to mix something. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a” /]צריך לערבב את כל הרכיבים ביחד. You have to mix all the ingredients together. להתערב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/להתערב-#.m4a”…

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/מחסן-#.m4a” /]מַחְסָן The Hebrew word מחסן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/מחסן-#.m4a” /] refers to a storage unit, typically a shed or shack. For example: [audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/מחסן-#.m4a” /]הוצאתם מהמחסן את כל מה שצריך בשביל הסוכה? Have you guys taken everything we need for the Sukkah out of the storage shed? מחסן comes from the Biblical-Hebrew root ח.ס.נ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/מחסן-#.m4a” /],…